Human trafficking is ranked among the gravest human rights infringements that have been experienced in cities in the United States and New York is not an exception. Human trafficking has been termed as a contemporary form of slavery whereby individuals who are vulnerable are used either by force, fraud or coercion to extract some financial profits.
The Human Trafficking Institute among other organizations has been fighting so hard to eradicate these crimes through legal proceedings, research and policy making. To prevent further losses of lives and communities, it is important to understand various types of human trafficking and why cases are still on the increase in New York.
This paper focuses on the primary forms of human trafficking occurring in New York, reasons as to why the problem is on the rise, and ways in which the vice can be averted.
The standards of the United Nations and the laws of the state of New York indicate that human trafficking is the process of recruiting, transporting, or preserving people using force, deception, or coercion to exploit them.
Trafficking and smuggling are two concepts that are highly differentiated by many people. Smuggling is normally the movement voluntarily across the borders, whereas trafficking is the control and exploitation of the victims.
The components of human trafficking are three in nature and legal:
Act: Hiring, ferrying, sheltering or accepting an individual.
Means: Fraud, force, threats, coercion, deception, or power abuse.
Intention: Forced labor, service or commercial sex.
The main facts related to human trafficking are:
1) There is no need to move physically, though exploitation is the key feature.
2) It takes place locally as well as internationally.
3) The victims belong to any age group, sex, and financial status.
Sex trafficking is the act of forcibly or controlling people into commercial sexes. Traffickers in New York usually attack women and minors promising them a job, a place to stay, or a love affair.
The recruitment is often done online or in cities. The victims are usually beaten and manipulated psychologically and deprived of support networks.
Labor trafficking is considered as a result of making people work in exploitative conditions with threats, debt bondage, or unpaid salaries. Different economy of New York offers many avenues to this kind of abuse.
Domestic work, construction and food services are some of the industries where victims are usually located. Those who are especially vulnerable are migrants and low-income workers because of fear of authorities and language barriers.
Dependency and lack of protection of children makes them highly vulnerable to traffickers. Child trafficking incorporates forced labor and sexual exploitation.
Children are at an increased risk in New York in foster care, runaway youth and in the absence of stable family environments. Traffickers utilize their security, acceptance, and financial requirements.
Domestic servitude is the process of compelling people (that is, in most cases, immigrant women) to perform in domestic residences under the conditions of abuse. The identification documents of the victims can be grabbed and their movement and communication curtailed.
The abuse takes place in people homes and thus it is hard to be tracked. Some victims are unaware that they are being exploited because of cultural beliefs or they do not know their rights under the law.
Organ trafficking, though not prevalent in New York, does exist, and mostly, the target of the traffickers is people living in abject poverty. The criminal rings can fool or even coerce individuals to sell organs.
The lack of proper medical care may inflict serious health issues on the victims, or they can become illegal organ donors.
The development of increased cases of human trafficking in New York is a result of a number of factors that are interwoven. New York being a global city is an attraction to migrants who are in need of a better opportunity which in most cases leads to economic hardship and lack of knowledge of local laws.
Financial insecurity and poverty drive people to unstable employment opportunities. The traffickers exploit such conditions and usually resort to technology and social media to lure victims. Smaller crime networks have become more sophisticated and reporting and identification systems may have weak areas that enable most of the cases to pass without detection.
Major challenges include:
1) Low general awareness on trafficking signs.
2) The barriers that can be language and cultural barriers that do not allow victims to seek help.
3) Poor handover of victims between agencies.
4) Stigma, fear and trauma that deter reporting of abuse among the survivors.
The fight against human trafficking should involve governmental bodies, civil societies, and local people. The education and awareness initiative can make individuals aware of the warning signs and report suspicious behavior in a safe manner.
Such organizations as the Polaris Project use the National Human Trafficking Hotline, which offers 24-hour help and helps victims to contact support. The Office of Children and Family Services in New York is involved in protecting the vulnerable children in the state by screening, intervention, and support programs.
People may contribute to stopping trafficking by educating themselves on the warning signs of it, providing victim assistance, and lobbying legislators to enact tougher laws. It is also important that the businesses engage in ethical labor practices and transparency across their supply chains.
It is important to understand the various types of human trafficking to include sex trafficking, labor trafficking, child trafficking, domestic servitude, and organ trafficking as a way of solving the problem in New York.
The rising cases emphasize the necessity to reduce the underlying factors like poverty, migration issues, and failures of identifying the victims. By combining the efforts of organizations such as the Human Trafficking Institute, the government and the informed citizens, more robust prevention and response systems can be established.
Awareness saves lives. This number (1-888-373-7888) should be called by everyone who thinks that someone is a victim of human trafficking. Concerns reporting will assist in stopping the cycle of exploitation.
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